Abbott Elementary‘s fifth season is looming on the horizon, and while viewers may have to wait until October for the premiere episode’s arrival, star and series creator Quinta Brunson recently revealed some insights about its fan-favorite couple, Janine (Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams).
In an interview with Variety, Brunson addressed the romance, which has played a central role in the show’s story since Season 1, and it appears some big changes are on the way.
As viewers will recall, Season 4 kicked off with Gregory and Janine finally being a full-on couple, and although they tried hiding their relationship from their colleagues Ava (Janelle James), Barbara (Sheryl Lee Ralph), Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter), and Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis), it was plain to see that the pair were in love. Of course, pal Jacob (Chris Perfetti) was in on knowing Janine and Gregory were a couple before the rest of the Abbott team, but it wasn’t long before they dropped the ruse and leaned into their steady romance.
Fans got a chance to see the couple spend Christmas together and experience other fun moments throughout Season 4, and despite having a brief hiccup as Janine tried winning over Gregory’s father during the finale’s field trip, they closed out the episode on a positive note.
So, what’s in store for the couple heading into Season 5? Brunson told Variety, “It’s not easy work once you’re in a new relationship, especially as you get older,” Brunson said, “Your conversations start to look different. It’s one thing to have a crush or like each other, but once you’re trying to maintain a relationship, a job, and a home life, those conversations look different.”
In other words, it sounds like Janine and Gregory are taking things to the next step, which means potential new stressors. “We try to make Janine and Gregory have those conversations while still having fun,” Brunson promised. “We don’t want them to be fighting, which seems to be the easy route to go. What does it look like when you’re not in a fight and you’re just discussing something? That’s been exciting this season,” she teased.
What kind of conversations could they be having? We’re eager to find out. Let us know your theories in the comments section below, and stay tuned for more on Abbot Elementary Season 5 in the weeks ahead.
Abbott Elementary, Season 5 Premiere, Wednesday, October 1, 8:30/7:30c, ABC